# SimpleClosure alternatives for a closing startup

> SimpleClosure alternatives: Sunset, a retired Carta service, the BuyMyDeadStartup listing board and direct programs. What each is and what I could verify.

By Matt Burns, Vaultfish. Canonical: https://vaultfish.com/answers/simpleclosure-alternatives  
Published: 2026-08-05  
Updated: 2026-10-14

## The short answer

SimpleClosure alternatives for a closing startup are few. Sunset is a wind-down service, but I could not verify its terms. Carta launched a shutdown service in February 2024 and retired it in December 2024. BuyMyDeadStartup is a free listing board where buyers contact you directly.

[SimpleClosure](/buyers/simpleclosure) does two jobs. It handles the legal and administrative work of winding down, and its Asset Hub sells source code and workspace data. This page covers what else exists for the second job. For its own evidence, see [is SimpleClosure legit](/answers/is-simpleclosure-legit).

## What is Sunset?

Sunset is a startup wind-down service. Its [Trustpilot profile](https://www.trustpilot.com/review/sunsethq.com) says it helps venture-backed startups wind down while helping founders monetize company data to offset costs, pay down liabilities and, in some cases, return capital.

Trustpilot showed 4.7 of 5 from 35 reviews, and the reviews concern the wind-down work. Sunset's own site returned a bot-check page to me and the Fast Company article about it returned 403, so I could not verify its data-sale terms, fees or payouts.

Figure: comparison of What each SimpleClosure alternative is: Sunset (Wind-down service), BuyMyDeadStartup (emphasized: No commission, holds no data, Listing board), Carta service (Retired in 2024). BuyMyDeadStartup is a listing board that says it takes no commission and holds no data.

## What happened to Carta's shutdown service?

Carta launched Carta Conclusions in February 2024 and retired it in December 2024. A Carta spokesperson told TechCrunch it "made more sense to invest and partner" with a focused team, and Carta joined SimpleClosure's $15M Series A ([TechCrunch](https://techcrunch.com/2025/05/07/carta-abandons-startup-shutdown-business-instead-backs-simpleclosures-15m-series-a/)). Carta is now an investor in SimpleClosure, so it is no alternative.

## What is BuyMyDeadStartup?

A [one-page board](https://www.buymydeadstartup.com/) where a founder describes what the closed company left behind and AI labs write to the founder. Listing is free, buyers pay $1,500 a month for access, and the site holds no money or data. See [BuyMyDeadStartup](/answers/buymydeadstartup).

## What if the company is still operating?

Direct programs take company data from working businesses, including [micro1](/answers/what-is-micro1) and [Handshake AI](/answers/handshake-ai-data-partnerships). Their terms are in [Troveo alternatives](/answers/troveo-alternatives). SimpleClosure's own [AssetHub page](https://simpleclosure.com/product/assethub/) now says operating companies can explore licensing too.

For a shutdown with no marketplace, see [licensing direct to an AI lab or through a marketplace](/answers/sell-direct-to-ai-lab-or-through-a-broker).

## What should a founder check first?

Slack, email and Drive hold other people's words, and a closing company is still the party that signs the warranties. Run the [rights check](/rights-check) before you list anything, and read [the risk map](/risks).

Talk to a privacy or commercial lawyer in your state before you sign.

micro1 may pay us a referral fee if a company we introduce goes ahead with it. [How we are paid](https://vaultfish.com/disclosure)

_Vaultfish helps you run the process. We are not lawyers and this is not legal advice. If you need counsel who knows this area, we can point you to one._

## Sources

- [Trustpilot profile](https://www.trustpilot.com/review/sunsethq.com)
- [TechCrunch](https://techcrunch.com/2025/05/07/carta-abandons-startup-shutdown-business-instead-backs-simpleclosures-15m-series-a/)
- [one-page board](https://www.buymydeadstartup.com/)
- [AssetHub page](https://simpleclosure.com/product/assethub/)
- [SimpleClosure terms](https://simpleclosure.com/tos/)
- [SimpleClosure Asset Hub announcement](https://simpleclosure.com/blog/insights/simpleclosure-asset-hub/)
- [SimpleClosure CEO post](https://simpleclosure.com/blog/guides/how-real-are-those-million-dollar-data-offers/)
- [Gizmodo](https://gizmodo.com/failed-companies-are-selling-old-slack-chats-and-email-archives-to-train-ai-2000747916)